Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/07/1995, 5 - OPEN SPACE FINANCING TASK FORCE �IIIII�IRIIIu�IIIIIIIiI�iN�Ii� "! f MEETING DATE: city U►u�u►� o sap lues oBispo - - COUNCIL AGENDA REPOR ITEM NUMBE FROM: John Dunn, CAO and Ken Hampian, Assistant CAO y SUBJECT: OPEN SPACE FINANCING TASK FORCE CAO RECOMMENDATION: 1. Establish categories of representation for the formation of an open space financing task force; and 2. Direct staff to solicit nominations from these various categories for subsequent consideration and appointment by the City Council. DISCUSSION: On September 12, 1995, the City Council completed its' review of Saving Special Places, A Study of Open Space Values in the San Luis Obispo Greenbelt. This study was prepared by the Land Conservancy, under the direction of Conservancy director, Ray Belknap. Since that time, Mr. Belknap has been engaged in discussions with property owners, and staff has been kept apprised regarding status. Discussions will continue until such time that it is appropriate to further review a specific acquisition or acquisitions with the City Council. This current effort would utilize existing money, $1.4 million. For this acquisition program to continue into the future, it is necessary to develop a continuing, sustainable source of funding. We have previously agreed that the long-term financial mechanism should involve contributions from all sectors of the community and that it must not be perceived as unfairly singling out one sector of the community. We have also agreed that it is desirable to have broad-based citizen representation in order to develop a comprehensive and fair program. Therefore, it is important to begin the process of forming a task force which shall advise the City Council on the best strategy for the long-term financing of open space. The goal, although ambitious, is to place any strategy requiring voter approval on the November 1996 ballot. In determining potential categories of representation on such a committee, staff has reviewed the composition of the earlier Open Space Element Advisory Committee (Attachment 1) and also those groups involved in the Open Space Financing Forum held in July, 1994 (Attachment 2). Staff also considered that the financine of open space is to be the core focus of the task force, rather than the setting of priorities or re-evaluation of the open space element itself. Staff s suggestions are provided in the spirit of providing broad-based representation; however, the City Council may wish to modify the structure as it deems necessary. It is important that groups nominate and the City Council appoint people who support an active open space program, and who can work productively in a collective process involving diverse representation. The proposed categories of representation are outlined below: S -w/ city of San luiS OBISPO COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT One Member From Each of the Following: -Planning Commission -Parks and Recreation Commission Five Members Representing Environmental Organizations, such as: - Native Plant Society - Sierra Club - ECOSLO - Audubon Society - Nature Conservancy - Bicycle Club - Archeological Society - Urban Creeks Council - Land Conservancy - Citizens Planning Alliance - Central Coast Salmon Enhancement Five Members Representing the Business Community, such as: - Business Improvement Association - Chamber of Commerce - Building Industry Association of the Central Coast - Association of Manufacturers and Distributors - SLO Board of Realtors - SLO Property Owners Association - Farm Bureau Five Members Representing Nei&borhood/other Organizations, such as: - Residents for Quality Neighborhoods - Old Town Neighborhood - Prefumo Canyon Neighborhood - Foothill Neighborhood Association - San Luis Drive Neighborhood - Laguna Lake Neighborhood - Obispo Beautiful Association - League of Women Voters - Historical Society - Cal Poly ASI - Senior Citizens I cit' of San L-A OBISPO samimm COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT If Council follows the above suggestion, the task force would have a total membership of 17 -- large enough to be adequately representative, but sufficiently small to hopefully be effective as a "shirt sleeve" working group. If Council would prefer a smaller number task force, an alternative would be to reduce community group category representation from five to three each, resulting in a total task force of 11. Once the City Council agrees on task force size and structure, staff will contact the various groups and request that nominations be submitted by the end of November. Staff will then agendize the formal appointment of the task force for a meeting during the month of December. The staff report will include a recommended task force schedule, based on the goal of a November 1996 ballot measure, and will have previously developed a list of potential funding sources in order to give the committee a "running head start" in approaching this task. PROPOSED CONBII=E "MISSION" The Committee is more likely to be successful in developing a recommended funding program if its purpose and goals are clearly established by the Council before the Committee begins its work The following Committee "mission statement" is proposed for Council consideration in providing the Committee with policy direction: Committee Purpose The purpose of the Committee is to recommend to the Council the best strategy for long-term financing of open space purchases. Goals In developing this strategy, the Committee should achieve the following goals: ■ Broad funding base. Ensure that the recommended funding program is a broad-based . one, and that no one sector of the community is singled-out in funding this program. ■ Revenue requirements. Identify the amount of new revenue that should be generated annually for this purpose, and ensure that the proposed funding program is reasonably capable of generating this amount. (This goal recognizes that there are many other strategies for preserving open space besides direct purchase of property by the City, and that purchase of open space, given the City's limited fiscal resources, should only be used as a preservation strategy when all other alternatives are unlikely to achieve the City's preservation goals. The proposed financing program should be scoped with this in mind). ■ Clear, simple program. Place a higher priority on those funding sources that can be most clearly communicated to the public and easily administered by the City. In short, a simple funding program is preferable to a complicated one. 111111111111111111$121111 city of San ttAis OBISPO COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT ■ Fiscal independence. Focus on funding sources that are within the City's existing authority to implement without approval by other governmental agencies. This goal recognizes that the funding program must be "doable", and this means that the City must be able to independently control its future to the maximum extent possible. ■ Timely. Complete the work by [whenever] so that any proposed strategy that requires voter approval (or where an advisory vote would be desirable) can be placed on the November 1996 ballot. ■ Eventual Support of the Ballot Measure. Committee members should be willing to actively support any future ballot measure that they recommend, independent of the City. This is because the City cannot actively campaign, pursuant to state law. STAFFING AND FINANCIAL UAPACT The Task Force will be staffed principally by the new Natural Resources Manager with the assistance of a number of other staff members, including the CAO, ACAO, Finance Director Community Development Director, Long-Range Planning Manager, Parks and Recreation Director, and Public Works Director. The CAO's office will assume the responsibility for ensuring that the committee has adequate and the proper type of staff support throughout the process. Land Conservancy staff will also be involved in a support role. The City Attorney will become involved relative to the consideration of a ballot measure (content, schedule, form, etc). If the appointments are made in December, because of the holidays the task force will most likely not begin its work until January, when the Natural Resource Manager is expected to begin work. While the Natural Resource Manager will have lead responsibility for keeping the task force process on track, he or she will be given a very high level of support throughout by those staff members identified above. This shall be especially true early on, as the new employee becomes more fully oriented to the open space issue, the community, and the overall job. Costs of the committee will primarily involve staff time as well as some level of supplies, materials, duplication, and printing. Some travel costs might also be incurred should, for example, the task force wish to invite someone from an existing open space district to discuss options with the group. Funds for such costs have been anticipated, and were budgeted by Council in the Natural Resources Program. If occasional specialized services are needed at some point during the process (e.g. a financial advisor), funds are also available for these purposes in the existing budget. �►►►�i�►►►(�IIIIIIIIII� IIUIU city or San 1"iS OBISpo COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT CONCLUSION: City staff strongly supports the goal of long-teen sustainable open space preservation, which will. only become possible with the development of.continuing financial support. We look forward to the Council's creation of the Open Space Financing Task Force and to the opportunity to provide quality assistance to the deliberations of the Task Force. ATTACHMENTS; 1. Open Space Element Categories 2. Open Space Financing Forum Participants .1 EXHIBIT 1 LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS/GROUPS AND PARTICIPATION LEVEL 2 Members From: - Planning Commission t Member From: -Park and Recreation Commission 1 Member From: -Architectural Review Commission 3 Members (Maximum of one person from anv one neicthborhoodl: -Old Town Neighborhood -Prefumo Canyon Neighborhood -San Luis Drive Neighborhood -Residents For Quality Neighborhoods -Laguna Lake Neighborhood 2 Maior Property Owners From Outside the City: -Madonna -long - Rossi -Devaul -Miossi - French -Bunnell -Mainini -Truochio 2 Members From-Business: -BIA -Chamber of Commerce 4 To 6 Members From Community Groups/Organizations (Maximum of t person from anv one organization): -Obispo Beautiful Association -Native Plant Society -Sierra Club -Audubon Society -Land Conservancy -Nature Conservancy -Citizens Planning Alliance -League of Women Voters -Historical Society -Cal Poly -Cuesta College -Bicycle Club -Archaeological Society -Farm Bureau -Urban Creeks Council -Fish and Game -County Government (Planning,Area Coordinating Council,or Parks and Recreation) -Senior Citizens rte• Attachment g Open Space Financing Forum PROSPECTIVE NOTICE RECIPIENTS City Advisory Bodies Business Improvement Association. Environmental Quality Task Force Parks and Recreation Commission Planning Commission Community Groups Building Industry Association of the Central Coast Business Coalition Chamber of Commerce of San Luis Obispo Citizens Planning Alliance ECOSLO - Foothills Neighborhood Association Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County League of Women Voters Residents for Quality Neighborhoods San Luis Drive Neighbors San Luis Obispo Association of Manufacturers and Distributors San Luis Obispo Board of Realtors Association - San Luis Obispo Property Owners Association Sierra Club Other identified groups desiring a presentation/discussion s-�